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>>Jacob Mueller: Hello this is Tech Support Guy Show # 51 for January 8, 2012 now with Handy Carrying Loop.
[theme music playing]
>>Mike Cermak: Welcome to Tech Support Guy Show I'm Mike Cermak known on the site as 'TechGuy'
with me today is Brian Hansen.
>>Brian Hansen: Yoh! Buddy Yoh!
>>Mike: Jacob ah… Oh I can't remember Jake's last name.
>>Brian: Failed.
>>Dan: You're fired.
>>Mike: Jake what's... >>Jake: See I dont have a last name like Oprah and you know
>>Jake: Cher. >>Mike: The Jacob
>>Jake: Mueller >>Mike: Mueller oh, darn it!
>>Mike: I'm sorry Jake I failed on that.
>>Jake: It's alright man. >>Mike: and Dan something or another.
>>Dan McCarthy: Hi. >>Mike: Dan McCarthy
>>Mike: Ah thank you >>Brian: sit up, sit up!
>>Dan: not happening, not happening, I'm very slouch like this. >>Mike: You know what's really funny
>>Mike: is whenever I put up a title bar underneath the ah, the thing
Let me see if I can find one to throw up real quick .
It like covers 90% of Dan and so he's not gonna…
[laughing]
>>Jake: We should get a graphic of like ah... one of those little teenage pink t-shirts
and put underneath his head.
One that says "juicy" or something.
[laughing]
>>Mike: Oh Danny.
Alright, so we got a couple of shows I mean a couple of stories we wanna get into.
Thank you for being here guys, I appreciate it even if I don't remember your names
and we're going to get right into it.
The first thing I wanted to mention is on Tech Support Guy which of course is the site for the show, TechGuy.org.
If you go there, there's a new feature for those who are members of Tech Support Guy.
If you go into the forums and then into the ‘Site Comments & Suggestions’ area,
there's a new link at the very top...pardon me
called 'Ideas for New Features & Enhancements.'
Within the next couple of months we're gonna be upgrading the software that runs Tech Support Guy.
and it's a scary, scary thing.
But in doing so, we're going to begin to add new features to the site again.
Right now, the site is kind of in a frozen state as far as features go because I don't wanna spend time
creating new features for the site and then have to create them again in three months when we switch to the new software.
So we’re putting a hold on creating any new features right now but we have a place for people to put their suggestions in.
And what’s really cool is then you can vote on other peoples’ suggestions.
So if you go in there, there’s a ‘thumbs up’ and a ‘thumbs down’.
And if you’re logged in as a user you can vote on those and put the most important ones at the top
and the worst ideas at the bottom.
So I encourage people to go in there and do that.
We’ve actually had a lot of activity that just started here about a week ago
and we already have lot of good ideas and a lot of votes in there
and I appreciate it and it helps.
I won’t promise that everything that bubbles to the top will necessarily get implemented
because some of them are still bad ideas even if a lot of people like 'em.
But...
[laughing]
But I’m going to take them into serious consideration and that will definitely help me to prioritize.
So I encourage people to go in there and check that out.
So that’s, this is the point where one of you tell me what a great idea that was.
>>Mike: [reading note on screen] And don’t say bubbles.
>>Mike: I didn’t say “bubbles,” I said “bubble to the top.”
>>Brian: Ok good, as long as we're clear.
>>Mike: Why am I not supposed to say "bubbles?"
>>Brian: Well, it’s self-explanatory man. Just don’t say “bubbles”.
>>Mike: What's wrong with bubbles?
>>Dan: I’m thinking about that bar joke about bubbles. >>Brian: Exactly.
>>Mike: Oh I see, maybe I don’t know the bar joke about bubbles.
>>Dan: You don't? >>Mike: Is it family friendly?
>>Dan: It is not family-friendly. >>Mike: Then we're definitely not going to include that
>>Mike: here in the show.
So moving on beyond bubbles, everyone listening right now is Googling.
Everyone listening probably already knows the joke. I will google in the meantime here.
Bubbles…bar joke.
So we've got a couple of news stories coming up.
Danny what do you wanna hit first on our news list?
Let's talk about Raspberry Pi.
>>Mike: I like raspberry pie, I like blueberry pie better.
>>Dan: Some people like apple pie better. >>Mike: I know.
>>Dan: Back into the technology realm, CES is happening this week.
I think a lot of events are actually kicking off tonight.
>>Mike: Right. And speaking of CES… That was the…I thought someone's gonna take that up.
>>Brian: Ah maybe 2 or 3 or 4 of us will be there next year in 2013 version of CES, in Las Vegas.
We maybe even able to do a live show.
>>Mike: I think we should. I think we gotta figure out a way to do that.
>>Mike: For sure. >>Dan: That could happen.
>>Mike: Yup.
>>Dan: Ok.
So CES is happening this week and there are lot of new technologies being introduced.
Raspberry Pi is one of them.
Vizio is debuting some new technology in the PC industry.
And we have the third of my topics, One Laptop Per Child or OLPC is debuting a tablet.
So we're gonna get into each one of those now.
I'm gonna start with Raspberry Pi unless, you guys want to talk about something else?
>>Mike: No let'*** raspberry pie, I'm hungry man.
>>Dan: Alright, Raspberry Pi is a project that was started in England by an employee of Broadcom.
Separate venture but the hope is like One Laptop Per Child.
If inexpensive computing can be made for delivery to children that children will learn to program
much like they did in the ah, I guess, 60's 70's and somewhat in the 80's
where they actually got hands-on into technology at a very young age not waiting until a little bit older
you know like college age before cracking open a computer and learning how to program.
The Raspberry Pi is a $25 or a $35 computer depending on the model that you buy
completely capable of HDMI output.
The model A has a 128 megabytes of RAM where the model B has 256 megabytes.
We talked about Raspberry Pi on the show before, but they're going into production this month.
They did 10 beta boards in December.
Those 10 beta boards have since been auctioned off on eBay.
One of them I think worth for like 1,700 £.
>>Mike: What?!
>>Dan: Yeah, let's see.
>>Mike: Why?
>>Dan: Well it all goes to charity so that they can produce more of these.
>>Mike: I guess, ok.
>>Dan: This Raspberry Pi is intended for school children like One Laptop Per Child.
So at CES this week is, even which I believe he works for Broadcom...
So he'll be at the Broadcom booth if you want to visit him and talk to him about Raspberry Pi.
One of the interesting things about Raspberry Pi is that you basically, are getting the computer without a case
or anything else so you can make it into whatever you want.
It natively supports Linux which I believe they had Ubuntu and I'm trying to remember
the other operating system they installed on there.
They had Quake III running on it if I remember it correct.
>>Jake: Well you got it, Quake III.
>>Dan: Well they did that just to demonstrate that you could run something relatively intense.
See if I can find that for you real quick.
>>Mike: So I'm looking at the device here and it's very very small.
I see what looks to be usb ports and an audio jack and that's about all I see
A power jack, maybe that's a CAT5 jack there.
>>Dan: So the model B has CAT5 and the model A is wifi only.
…and let's see here.
If you go to the FAQ section of their website, you can actually get a kind of a diagram of what is available.
As it comes up it's the first thing that you see.
So you get your RCA video, audio jack, HDMI, SD card, micro usb power.
So all of your interfaces are going to be the usb basically.
So if you want to hold up a keyboard or mouse, you're going to have to plug in most likely a usb hub
because this thing takes very little power. It's power supply is real small.
>>Mike: And your usb hub has gonna have to have a wall wart.
>>Dan: Yup >>Mike: You're not gonna get power out of this thing.
>>Dan: Exactly. Exactly.
So this could actually be a media center with some peripherals.
You can connect this to an external usb drive to store all of your media
and this could serve up your audio and video.
>>Mike: So what's the price points of us be for these things?
>>Dan: $25 for the model A which is a 128 megs.
>>Mike: $25 ?
>>Dan: Yes $25 >>Mike: Oh, wow.
>>Dan: And no ethernet on model A. Model B has 256 megs of RAM and has ethernet as well.
>>Mike: Ok.
>>Dan: So they've already started building add-on boards for these so that you can do various things.
There's other things with them.
I think we're going to see some other remote interfaces with it later on.
They're really just… these guys are playing. They're making a living playing.
>>Mike: That's the dream.
>>Brian: If I can draw a very simple analogy, is this kinda like the old days when our parents
or the older generation got like chemistry sets and they would kinda make stuff up
or an easy-bake oven kind of thing?
Is this the easy-bake oven of computer programming?
>>Dan: You know what I think that is very appropriate. Yes.
>>Brian: Ok.
>>Brian: Cool, I'm in.
>>Mike: Yeah I think you're right. I think it's a good comparison.
>>Mike: I'm in too, that's pretty cool. >>Dan: I think I'm gonna get myself an easy-bake oven
>>Dan: as soon as they are available. I really am.
I'm going to probably get both A model and B just so I can play with both of them.
I don't know what I'm actually going to do with either one of them.
>>Mike: Right. I dunno either. >>Dan: But ah...
>>Mike: But if you are making a product that needed a controller or something, $25 for all of that...
>>Mike: that's... >>Dan: Right.
>>Mike: And I suspect if you bought a thousand of them, they would give you a deal.
>>Dan: I bet they would. I bet they would.
Again commercial market is not really what they're... >>Mike: Right, I understand.
>>Dan: ...producing these for.
They're producing these for educational purposes which is very lofty.
I like that.
>>Mike: So what are…these things come pretty assembled?
What are they gonna use it for in education,
that the computer sitting in front of the kid isn't already gonna be able to do?
Were they thinking like 3rd World countries where they're not gonna have?
But how you empower the thing? I don't get it.
>>Dan: One, I think they're trying to get cheap devices in so that it's more cost effective in a younger,
for a younger crowd to have something to work on.
You don't necessarily want kids kernel hacking on your production desktops
better in your computer lab right?
>>Mike: If it's in a virtual machine they can.
>>Dan: Sure, yeah, sure.
>>Mike: Virtual machines are cheaper than actual hardware.
>>Dan: Sure. They're not cheaper than $25 now.
>>Mike: Hmm. Possibly.
Yeah, I guess I'm going with the assumption that there's already enough computers in the classroom
>>Mike: so that's not necessarily an accurate assumption. >Dan: Right.
>>Dan: Right >>Mike: Alright, I'll buy it. It's kinda cool.
>>Dan: I think I was more excited about it than the kind of blase reception we're getting here.
>>Mike: Yeah I don't think anyone cares.
>>Dan: Alright I'm gonna shut up now.
>>Brian: Dan why did they decide that this was the right time to do it?
>>Dan: What's frustrated the… even specifically I believe,
is that people coming out of highschool and college now don't really know how to program.
Even if they focus on that as their area of study, they don't know.
Whereas, the programmers that you had going into the industry in the 80's and even in the 90's, they were hackers if you will.
They started learning at a very young age and started playing with the technology.
And playing is the key there.
They were playing with the technology to learn the technology.
So that when they got out into the workforce they actually knew.
It wasn't just that they've been forced a curriculum.
They've played with, they've learned, they have hands on experience with this.
And the hope is that this was to spark , it will be cause-effect of and spark interest in computing again.
>>Mike: Right.
>>Brian: Yeah, like you think about Matthew Broderick in War Games, right like...
It was just computers, his parents never had any idea how to use that thing.
The generation that's going out today and coming out of college today,
their parents have been around computers forever and they're used to treating computers
as these kind of sacred, expensive, don't-touch-it-you-might-break-it type of things.
And then, so the kids can't learn and plus let's not forget they're all distracted by Nintendo 64 and Microsoft Xbox 360s
and all that crap that they have to enjoy and just be entertained and they are less inclined I guess,
to go and learn how to do some of that stuffs themselves.
>>Dan: Yes, exactly.
>>Brian: It's kinda cool and I'm glad that they are making it a low-cost, low-risk entry.
>>Jake: Yeah that's true >>Brian: That's the right way to do it.
>>Mike: It's remarkable that they can do it to that price point right from the beginning.
You think they would have to ramp up to that?
>>Dan: There was a lot of question about whether or not they would actually be able
to meet that price point when they first announced this.
>>Dan: But ah...they've had... >>Mike: In to...Sorry go ahead.
>>Dan: They've had people join them, like Broadcom is producing..ah what is it?
Is it the processor on there?
>>Jake: Looks like a processor ARM II, ARM11. >>Dan: Yeah there you go, yup there you go.
>>Dan: So Broadcom is producing the processor.
And this is charitable organization to be clear. This is not a full-profit organization.
Raspberry Pi Foundation is a charitable organization.
So everyone who participates in this in providing the cheap hardware and what-not,
>>Dan: I'm sure it's attached write-off of some sort >>Mike: I see.
>>Mike: And who run on four AA batteries.
>>Brian: Wow >>Mike: That's kinda cool.
>>Dan: Yeah, I am impressed with this at all. I mean the size of the devices is tiny.
85mm x 54mm x 17mm
>>Mike: And it weighs 45 grams which I think in American is like 20 lbs.
>>Dan: Yeah definitely gonna be 20 lbs, it might even fill up this room.
>>Mike: Well most computers you know, do fill up an entire room right?
>>Jake: What year is this?
>>Brian: It would be like, it's like eight-tenths of an ounce.
It is how much it would weigh, forty whatever gram would be eight-tenths of an ounce
>>Dan: So they're shipping internationally. They will have so much of the One Laptop Per Child
that will basically help one where you can buy one for yourself and give one to someone else that needs one.
A charitable organization, educational organization somewhere else.
>>Mike: That's kinda the way One Laptop Per Child worked.
>>Dan: Yes that's exactly the way One Laptop Per Child… except One Laptop Per Child missed their price point.
>>Mike: Yes they did. I was gonna mention that earlier. That's was gonna be my nice, easy transition.
>>Mike: But ah... they really did , coz originally One Laptop Per Child was supposed to be $100 right?
>>Dan: That's right, that's right.
>>Mike: So speaking of One Laptop Per Child Dan?
>>Dan: Yeah so... >>Mike: How do you like that? The what's that, what's that?
>>Dan: That was a great transition
>>Mike: It's even better when I pointed out.
>>Dan: So One Laptop Per Child, OLPC is going to CES again with a new product offering.
It is called the XO 3.0 and it's a tablet. And it is… The original specs on it, the thickness,
It was about half-inch to an inch thick. I mean it was pretty wide but same price point.
They are looking at $100 on this one.
>>Mike: Now they're doing the same thing here where you buy one for someone else and get one yourself or?
>>Dan: That is my expectation although the websites that I've read information on this,
have not said specifically whether or not it will be basically you pay $200 and you get one yourself.
>>Mike: Now we had this question in the chat room here about the Raspberry Pi.
You mentioned that it works the same way, you buy one for someone else and you get one yourself.
Is that $25 or is that $50?
>>Dan: What I have understood is that it is $25 for model A for you.
You wanna buy one? $25 plus whatever it costs to ship from the UK.
>>Mike: And that helps to support giving one to a kid somewhere?
>>Dan: No that does not support anything. >>Mike: OK, so Raspberry Pi isn't like the OLPC I think
>>Mike: we might have misspoke earlier.
>>Dan: Well no, if you check out their FAQ you'll see on there that they have or you're gonna have a buy one get one
or buy one give one.
And they are going to have that.
>>Mike: Ah they just don't yet.
>>Dan: Right.
" We plan to implement a program of this sort but you can also just buy one if you prefer."
>>Mike: Gotcha. Thank You.
>>Dan: Sure. Sure.
I don'k know where I was going with the last...
The specs on this are, it's gonna be Marvell's Armada PXA618 SOC processor.
>>Mike: That's amazing to me.
>>Dan: It doesn't mean crap to me either. It's gonna have...
It's gonna have 512 megs of RAM and it's gonna run Android or if you want you can put Fedora on there
You can put Ubuntu on there ah...
>>Mike: Can I put WebOS on there? WebOS? >>Dan: WebOS is, I bet you can
>>Dan: because WebOS has been open source. No don't let it go keep it goin', keep the OS goin'
>>Mike: Now we just need One Laptop Per Child to make a phone and let me put WebOS on it and I'd be happy again.
>>Dan: Why would One Laptop Per Child build a phone?
>>Mike: They are making a tablet.
>>Dan: Yes but that's a computing device that can be used >>Mike: So is the phone.
>>Dan: as teaching aid
>>Mike: What does that tablet do that my phone doesnt c'mon?
>>Brian: It's got a viewable display area.
Phones don't all have viewable display areas.
>>Dan: So I'm gonna post a link into the chat here. Want you guys to check that out.
The screenshots of this are actually pretty sleek. It looks nice.
If it is rugged so that it can be used by children much like my daughter
>>Brian: Wow.
>>Mike: Now are these real pictures coz it looks like uber thin?
>>Dan: That does look a lot thinner than the original pictures I've seen.
Hold on a second, let me find the other...
>>Brian: Quarter of an inch thick.
>>Mike: What?
That's pretty thin. How thick is an iPad though that might not be...
>>Brian: It's about a third of an inch thick I think. From all the way back to the bottom of the shell to the screen.
>>Mike: What is this stupid circle thing that is apparently, designed to be broken off on that corner of this thing?
>>Jake: They use it as a keychain.
>>Mike: hahaha as a keychain. >>Dan: No honestly...What is this?
>>Dan: One of the cools things about the XO 1 which was their first laptop,
>>Dan: You can actually crank it to get power so, I'm guessing >>Mike: I remember that.
>>Dan: that it has something to do with cranking the power. I'm not sure but...that's a guess.
On the power subject, in order to charge the battery if you will, cranking the device
to keep the power for one minute is supposed to give you the equivalent of like 10 mins worth of juice on the device.
They are expecting it to have about an 8-10 hour of battery life.
Of course that really depends on what kind of software you put on there and what you're doing with it.
>>Mike: Now can you run Quake III on this because that's the real question I mean.
I don't honestly know if you could do that. I was...
>>Jake: You know you could probably run it on pretty much anything right now
because 'id' just recently released the source code for Quake III.
They are the last bastion you know, of open source in gaming.
that's a bit of a geek tidbit for you guys.
>>Dan: So I'm reading the specs on it, the screen is going to be 8 inches.
They're not going to upgrade to the Pixel Qi display for power savings.
>>Dan: Oh I'm sorry they are going to. >>Brian: Future plans.
>>Brian: Yeah. >>Dan: Yup.
>>Dan: It will not run windows.
>>Brian: That's awesome.
>>Mike: Now c'mon if Windows 8 comes out and can run on... Well I guess it is a special processor, isn't it?
>>Dan: Yup >>Mike: I guess it won't run on that.
>>Mike: It has 512 megs of RAM, I was thinking 'man it can run in just about anything' but...
>>Brian: This is cool, this is interesting. Specially if they can make it
you know, SIPS, solar or handpowered just like the laptops were meant to be.
>>Dan: Well it is hand-powered right now, so they have future plans or attempts to make it solar-powered.
And I think that would be incredibly kick-***. You put a solar panel on the back of that
and just turn it over and let it charge.
>>Mike: It's kinda hot, it would take forever to charge it but that's kind of a cool idea.
>>Dan: Yeah, I mean so while you're out work in the fields or whatever you...
>>Brian: and you just strap it onto your back
>>Dan: Right. You're tablet is charging while your working that...
>>Brian: ...and you'll be fine.
>>Mike: Even if that isn't the primary power, even if you do need to charge it some other way,
at least it gives you something.
>>Dan: This is another device that I'm really excited about and I wanna buy one for myself.
If they made this solar-powered, just think about it.
Like I'm going on a vacation to the beach and I don't wanna take anything that I'm gonna get sand in
or whatever, this is supposed to be playground-tough so, I take this with me, turn it over
>>Dan: while I'm like out swimming with the sharks and my tablet is charging. >>Mike: then you get back and it's gone.
>>Mike: Someone is gonna pick that up so fast.
[laughing]
>>Mike: Well maybe that's what the circle is for that way you can put up a pad lock through it and lock it to your stuff.
>>Dan: Clearly you guys are not paying attention to the graphics in the link I sent you.
It's a finger hole so that you don't drop it.
>>Mike: I see that in the one picture but I'm still pretty well convinced that it is really designed to be broken off.
[laughing]
>>Brian: It looks like it's a lawn-mower starting cord.
[laughing]
>>Mike: Maybe this thing is gas-powered.
>>Dan: Well actually they could be the crank, if you pull on that to crank something inside
to get the juice, I don't know.
>>Mike: In the chat room, Hobo says that it's to clip it to your bathing suit.
>>Brian: There you go, it is water-proof after all.
>>Dan: Do not make fun of me because I want to take this to the beach.
[laughing]
>>Mike: Coz any geek who goes to the beach
the most, the biggest concern he has is 'how am I'm gonna take my gadgets with me.'
>>Dan: It is! It is! >>Mike: Now what is kinda cool on this thing though
>>Mike: looking at the pictures, again I'm not completely convinced
they're actual pictures or whether they're mock-ups
But the frame around it it's ultra-thin, it's like the whole screen is almost the entire size of the device.
You know what I'm saying?
>>Dan: Yeah. >>Mike: Like with an iPad I've got a frame around the thing
>>Mike: specially on the one side with the cameras and the other side where the one button is.
This thing is like all screen.
>>Brian: Yeah.
>>Mike: That's kinda hot. >>Dan: I think I'll be interesting to see some of the photos
>>Dan: that come from the devices that are shown at CES
>>Mike: Yeah definitely. I'd be interested to see how much they look like these mock-ups.
>>Dan: Well let me try to find the other link I had...
[Dan uttering words to himself]
I'm just gonna keep talking to myself like this.
>>Mike: That would be great.
>>Jake: I think you're right Mike, I think these are mock-ups because when look at the pictures you can see the fade
>>Mike: yet...yeah the fake glare. >>Jake: you know the glare, they're all the same.
>>Mike: Yeah the glare does not look real at all. The whole thing does not look real.
It's completely fake. I don't think they're even gonna make any tablets.
I think the whole thing is a scam. They are just trying to get your $100
and then they're gonna claim that they sent something overseas.
>>Dan: Check out the link that I just sent to you. I'm ignoring you.
>>Mike: I'm kidding by the way, don't sue me please.
The link you just posted I think is the same link you had posted before.
>>Mike: Oh...scroll down >>Dan: No it's not.
>>Dan: Yeah.
>>Mike: I gotta put through this into the show man.
>>Dan: If you look at the mock-ups there, the device is considerably thicker.
>>Mike: Yeah it is, it's a lot more than a quarter of an inch or whatever we said.
>>Dan: And it doesn't have that little thing you're gonna break off
>>Mike: But it does have a freakin' solar panel.
>>Dan: ...fixating on. Yup.
>>Mike: Huh, that's kinda hot.
>>Dan: Some like it hot. Sorry.
Interesting.
>>Mike: Yeah. So that looks completely different.
>>Dan: That looks like it's actually, probably close to what it would be.
>>Mike: Yeah.
>>Dan: I can't imagine a device that is intended to give to school-aged children
>>Mike: And again here look at the frame around this thing. >>Dan: Yeah.
>>Mike: Very different than what we were seeing in the other pictures. Much less sexy.
>>Dan: I still... >>Mike: Much more square.
>>Dan: Yes definitely. Well you know, you can't have two rounded corners on a tablet because Apple will sue you.
[laughing]
You know I'm just saying, do not make it too appealing because Apple has a patent on appealing.
>>Mike: Yup, rounded corners are patentable.
>>Dan: Yes absolutely, from just the drawing alone. Functional anyway.
>>Dan: I'm gonna stop. >>Mike: Alright, right on.
>>Mike: I like the solar panel, that's interesting. I'd be interested to know how long it needs to sit in the sun.
But I guess, you're in Africa or something maybe the sunlight's little stronger.
Seriously as compared to like, Pennsylvania.
>>Dan: Well closer to the equator and things like that yeah. >>Mike: Right. Nah I'm completely being serious.
>>Dan: Yeah. Ultra-Violet rays and what-not. Yeah. >>Mike: Alright.
>>Dan: I'm excited about both this and Raspberry Pi. I wanna get both of these for my children.
And see if I can get them a little more interested in technology.
>>Mike: It's pretty cool.
>>Dan: And if I can't then I just have more gadgets to play with.
>>Mike: That's the real...
>>Dan: The real intent. That's it.
>>Brian: It's a low-cost, low-risk way to get, to try and interest your child in technology. >>Mike: Sure.
>>Mike: And they look like they're built to last you know you can throw it at a kid and it won't break.
>>Dan: With devices like these, I wouldn't mind buying a few of these and giving them to like the boys and girls club.
>>Mike: That's a good idea.
>>Dan: You know, things like that to get other children who are less fortunate acquainted with technology.
>>Jake: That's a cool idea.
>>Brian: Yeah. Well, you know. Thanks Danny.
Because honestly without you bringing these to my attention, I certainly never would have heard of Raspberry Pi.
And I've read about OLPC but back when it was, they were just working on X0 1
and there were thought they needed then a $100 and they got nowhere near it.
I didn't even know they were still actually trying to do anything. I thought they'd already disbanded.
I thought Nicholas had gone off and done other things but... These are good stories.
>>Dan: I think on the OLPC topic, I think MIT is still involved with the OLPC efforts
so they've got some definite backing and I believed it on the Raspberry Pie topic
that Eben who is, I guess, independently wealthy himself was funding it out of his own pocket
-- the Raspberry Pi development. Pretty cool stuff.
>>Brian: Wow, that was cool.
Yeah, good to see you know, technology that kinda gives back
>>Mike: Right.
>>Brian: or at least can be self-sufficient with the solar-powered and the hand cranking.
>>Dan: The last I heard was when John Lennon was promoting back in 2008
- What?
>>Dan: I'm reading Hobo's comments.
>>Mike: I see that but I don't understand it.
>>Dan: I don't think I quite understand. I think he's trying to be funny or she?
Are you trying to be funny Hobo?
>>Mike: Maybe John Lennon's song was used in some promotion for something like
>>Mike: one of the old PCs. >>Dan: ahhh.
>>Mike: Is that what he's saying? I don't remember any such a... >>Dan: 'Imagine' maybe?
>>Mike: Yeah maybe.
>>Brian: Yup it could be.
>>Dan: There is a commercial that's what he's saying.
>>Mike: Is it for OLPC or what's it for?
>>Dan: Bring it off Mike see if you can pull it up on YouTube >>Mike: Help us out with a link Hobo.
>>Mike: OLPC commercial... Yeah I'll be darn.
'John Lennon One Laptop Per Child Commercial' It will be in the chat room here in 'now'
I have to insert it into the video and post coz I can't get audio.
But ah...we'll quietly look at it and pretend like we're actually hearing it right now because in post we will.
You want me to sing? Or I can, I can..
>>Brian: No! No! >>Mike: If only I had my tuba here.
[laughing]
>>Dan: This is funny.
I can't believe I haven't seen this.
>>Mike: I wonder if it actually ran anywhere? I've never seen it.
>>Dan: I gotta say that's pretty gimicky though.
>>Brian: Probably within a TED presentation somewhere or some sort of sponsorship thing.
>>Mike: Maybe, I don't remember seeing it. But maybe.
I remember at TED there was ah, I was at TED one time when they talked about OLPC a bit.
And they actually had them there for people to be able to buy and they would ship another one off
but I don't remember that, but who knows? I have a bad memory.
>>Dan: What were we talking about? I can't remember.
>>Mike: I think we're about to talk about real laptops.
>>Dan: Oh real laptops. >>Mike: Aha.
>>Dan: Ok.
>>Mike: So instead of these gimicky you know everyone-in-the-world-ought-to-have-a-laptop
let's get to the real thing that actual people are gonna use.
>>Dan: Why do you hate freedom Mike?
>>Mike: I'm a capitalist.
>>Dan: Why do you hate freedom?
>>Mike: So the story I...unless you have something else you want to mention on this?
>>Dan: No, no go ahead.
>>Mike: Alright, I'll get into the real stuff now.
I'm kidding.
So the big story speaking of capitalism and such is and not trying to help the greater good at all.
Vizio is going to enter the PC market. So apparently, they are done
not done but they you know have made their name making cheap TVs for Walmart, and they played with the...
But didn't they talk about making a phone at one point? I don't know if they ever actually did it.
>>Dan: They do make a tablet already.
They have an Android tablet, a couple of Android tablets with a price point of around $250 to $350 / $400
Something like that.
>>Mike: So these...They are making some laptops and desktops, All-In-One desktops
and the Chief Technology Officer of Vizio says that they're gonna go on sale by June
at a...and I quote, "a price that just doesn't seem possible"
That's all we know about pricing right now.
>>Dan: This is similar to eMachines attempt to get everyone else out of business.
So they're targeting, they're specifically targeting HP if they have to. HP is one of the only manufacturers left
still making All-In-One desktops other than Apple.
Apple seems to be the only one that's selling a lot of those. I think.
And that's probably arguable as well.
>>Brian: Yeah. HP is set to introduce a new All-In-One PC for $1200 next week as well
>>Mike: But if their All-In-One PC is $1200 and Vizio's here, is gonna be an impossible price
>>Brian: Right >>Dan:Exactly >> Mike: Whatever that is.
>>Jake: Maybe it's infinity.
[laughing]
>>Mike: That's true, we're assuming that anyone who says an 'impossible price' that... >>Brian: Seemingly...
>>Brian: Maybe it's the square root of negative one. It will give you the square root of one dollar if you'd take it.
>>Dan: Yeah I don't see this as a nail in the coffin to HP although they tend to that to themselves.
>>Mike: I thought that HP was starting to get out of the consumer market,
I thought they were gonna go all IBM on us.
>>Dan: Meg lip whatever, has said that they are not gettin' out of the PC market.
They are going to continue their PC manufacturing business.
>>Mike: So they need to get into the phone manufacturing business again.
>>Dan: That's funny they have said they will not be doing that.
>>Mike: I know, I heard. Well they didn't say that they are not going to do it.
They said they are not doing it right now, that other manufacturers gotta pick up WebOS first.
>>Mike: But they said they might do it again in the future. >>Dan: No, no.
>>Dan: That was tablets, that was not phones.
>>Mike: It definitely was phones.
Because I've printed it up and put it on my mirror so I can look at it everyday.
>>Dan: I'm calling shenanigans.
>>Mike: Since when am I not allowed to make things up?
>>Dan: Hey as Jake used to say, pictures or it never happened.
>>Mike: What is it? What's the phrase?
>>Dan: pictures or it never happened.
>>Mike: What about video?
>>Dan: Video or it never happened.
>>Mike: Video is moving pictures I guess.
>>Mike: Alright I'll try and find some evidence to support my unbelievable claims.
>>Dan: I want it now.
>>Mike: Only my claims that just don't seem possible.
>>Dan: Give me evidence now c'mon!
>>Dan: This is the interweb , this is the age of technology.
>>Dan: You go to Google and you search and it comes back >>Mike: Alright I'll put it on...
>>Dan: and it says, "you're full of crap" >>Mike: Give me a minute I'll put it on Wikipedia.
>>Dan: Oh you're goin to put it on Wikipedia
[laughing]
>>Mike: If it's on Wikipedia, it's true. Give me just a minute.
Alright I'll see what I can find here. [reading] HP to make WebOS tablets again in 2013...
[whispers] I don't want to claim that Dan's right...
[laughing]
>>Mike: [reading] HP hangs up the phone on...
>>Dan: Yeah there you go, that sounds like it's going to be open for...
>>Dan: Alright while you look that up. Vizio is planning on releasing two desktops,
two All-In-One PCs and three notebooks at CES.
These are again, expected to go on sale in June. It will be very interesting to hear the quotes on prices
for each of these along with specs.
I'm interested to see what processors they are using with the notebooks specifically.
And honestly durability, eMachines were notably crap.
>>Dan: So I wonder if Vizio is going to be able to >>Mike: Yeah that's true
>>Mike: I hope not. At least the design looks cool. >>Dan: ...keep this whole thing better.
>>Mike: I mean the eMachines look like crap too. But these Vizio things at least they look cool. >>Dan: Yeah.
>>Dan: Yeah. They're sleek in design. They better be careful coz I see rounded corners
and we all know how apple does not like other people using rounded corners
I'm not gonna stop harping on that coz that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.
I think this is the fourth podcast in a row that I've mentioned it.
>>Mike: Alright I can't find evidence but I will.
>>Dan: I don't believe you will. >>Mike: I think I will.
>>Mike: ...and I think. >>Dan: You know why?
>>Mike: Why?
>>Dan: Because you're full of crap.
>>Dan: I'm gonna get a soundboard for the next podcast so I can just make obnoxious sounds
everytime I'm appaled of shenanigans.
>>Dan: or maybe like... >>Jake: But you're doing that already.
[laughing]
>>Dan: Oh so that's how you're gonna contribute
>>Jake: I'm trying to add some viewer man c'mon.
>>Mike: I swear that I'm gonna find it. >>Dan: I think guys I'm goin home
>>Brian: So I'm reading about Vizio in general. First of all, it's only been around since 2002 at which point
they only had 3 employees and all they did was provide consulting services to Gateway.
>>Brian: We all know how well all that stuff have gone.
>>Dan: That's funny. >>Mike: That is funny.
>>Brian: And as of 2008, they only had 100 employees but they sold 3.5 million high-definition televisions
and were the #1 fastest growing consumer electronics company and they were awarded the Walmart Supplier of the Year Award.
And now in 2010, they only have 196 employees 76 of whom are in South Dakota
which means they all do customer service.
Wow! They're a giant, giant company now. They're only 9 years old at this point.
>>Dan: They are attributed to closing two major players in television. Who were they?
>>Brian: Samsung. Or at least I know they are working on getting rid of Samsung pretty soon.
>>Dan: Samsung am I right is an asian company?
>>Brian: Yeah, I don't know.
Anyway, I started looking at this coz I was like, I associate Vizio with Walmart.
I actually thought it was a Walmart exclusive brand. But apparently I was very wrong.
It is an independent OEM. Doesn't really have anything to do with Walmart from an investing standpoint.
>>Mike: I thought it did. I'll be darn.
>>Brian: Yeah, they actually started selling at Costco first. Costco was their first customer.
>>Dan: So their CTO has said that they are not shooting for the low end laptop markets with their laptops.
So the price point's gonna be above $500.
>>Mike: That seems believable.
>>Brian: Yeah but it's probably gonna have 3D screen on it.
[laughing]
>>Brian: I'm serious. I'm serious.
>>Dan: You think it's gonna have a 3D screen.
>>Brian: Yeah.
>>Mike: It said the new desktop PCs will have 24" or 27" screens on it.
and one notebook will have a 15.6" screen and two ultra-thin versions will have a 15.6" and 14" screen.
>>Dan: Can I just say I hate the 'ultrabook' label.
>>Brian: Yeah kinda dumb.
>>Dan: It really is.
>>Mike: It didn't say 'ultrabook'. It said 'ultra-thin version'
>>Dan: No, no. If you read the Wallstreet Journal article...
>>Mike: Why don't I...
>>Dan: [reading] Vizio isn't using the ultrabook moniker, but its laptops are also thin
and offer screens ranging from 14" to 15.6"
>>Mike: That's ultra-thin. I don't know I got nothing.
>>Brian: Interesting stuff, interesting stuff.
>>Brian: So next week we should see the fruits of this discussion come out live
>>Mike: You know I remember I was at CES a couple of years ago when Palm announced WebOS.
>>Brian: Yes.
>>Dan: I...[laughing] fail.
>>Mike: So I'm just saying maybe at CES again this year, that HP will announce that maybe someday >>Dan: WebOS?
>>Mike: they'll maybe ah...
>>Brian: Mike, we love you man but this is bordering on senile. That you're refusing to accept reality.
>>Mike: I remember back in my day.
>>Brian: You're creating your own reality. Like Jake says, pictures or it didn't happen.
>>Mike: Arghh. >>Dan: Ooohh.
>>Dan: Hey, if you guys go to engadget, going back on our previous article, there's some more photos
of that prototype or whatever, of that OLPC laptop.
>>Dan: and that little...
>>Mike: You mean ah, not laptop.
>>Brian: A tablet. >>Mike: A tablet.
>>Dan: A tablet sorry. Yeah a tablet , X0 3.
And that little thing, that little green thing apparently folds down. It's a carrying mechanism.
>>Mike: Link? >>Brian: Hot!
>>Dan: That's what it looks like.
>>Mike: Link?
>>Dan: Link? Oh shhh.
>>Dan: I forgot you don't know how >>Mike: And speaking of which
>>Dan: You do not know how to use
>>Mike: I'm looking, yeah I went to engadget and I >>Dan: a Google machine.
>>Mike: googled 'pc tablet' and I've got 34,000 results so...
By the way for those listening, links so you don't have to google through 34,000 results
will be put in the show notes.
If you go to TechGuy.tv, we post all of our shows there. Video, audio & show notes with links to everything we discuss.
So you can go there and check it out. And discuss the show there.
>>Dan: Alright now if you go to the link that I did post...
>>Mike: I'm looking for that, that's great. >>Dan: so you wouldn't have to use the Google machine yourself
>>Mike: Right, I appreciate that. So these are again the fake mock-ups that are not real.
Hence why they are fake.
>>Dan: Yes, yes. Fake mock-ups that are not real. Got it.
Yes the...what image is it? 9 or 14? Check that out. It shows it in action.
I think that's an action shot definitely. And look at their shadows, how could that be fake?
[laughing]
>>Mike: Well pictures for what's not real. We've got pictures here. So obviously, it's real.
>>Mike: Right Jake? I mean there's no denying that this is a picture >>Jake: It's true. It's obviously true.
>>Jake: When you look at 2 or 14, the guy is holding his laptop, dangling by one finger.
That's always how I carry my laptop. If it's more than one finger then I'm using too much effort
and there's not enough risk involved.
[laughing]
>>Mike: That's the way Dan always carry his things on the beach. With one finger like that.
>>Dan: You leave me alone at the beach.
>>Mike: And then he smiles at all the other guys there.
[laughing]
>>Dan: Stop it.
>>Mike: Oh man.
>>Mike: Yeah alright, I don't know. Again these are the mock-ups of what they are not developing.
We've seen the pictures of what I think is the real thing.
>>Dan: Just because HP stopped doing the WebOS doesn't mean you have to call shenanigans on OLPC. >>Mike: Shenanigans!
>>Mike: Now I want you to look at the last three pictures on this gallery.
Well look at the mid tray carefully I know it's gonna take some studing to realize the...
>>Dan: I don't know what you're talking about.
>>Dan: I do not... >>Mike: We have pictures, so obviously it's real.
>>Dan: They clearly did not just change the image on the...
>>Mike: Someone knows how to hold their hands very still.
>>Mike: Alright now, click the next page. Alright now, put your hands back in the exact same position.
>>Brian: I'm stepping in, I'm refereeing. Put your lifesavers away let's wrap this thing up.
>>Mike: You gotta take a side first Brian.
>>Brian: Ah...Mike's side.
>>Mike: That's always the correct side.
[laughing]
Alright we're gonna close this up then. So tell us what you think. Do you think that this is completely ridiculous?
And obviously they're gonna go with the pictures of the big ugly square thing that doesn't have the weird circle on it.
Or do you think they're gonna go with this magical thin device with the weird circle on it that's never going to be developed?
>>Dan: Are you asking me?
>>Mike: No. Obviously we know you think the magic circle is going to be coming out but...
[laughing]
>>Dan: Ooh *** ba ya.
>>Mike: Alright guys, thanks a lot for being here. I appreciate it.
Our next show is gonna be Sunday, February 12 at 1PM Eastern. So make sure you go to TechGuy.tv
at that time you can watch live, join into the chat room.
And such...Again, that's gonna be February 12 at 1PM Eastern.
And go to TechGuy.tv also to see previous episodes, show notes, all that other good stuff.
And thanks a lot for being here. And I need to give you guys each a shout-out too. I've been forgettin' to do that lately.
And I know Brian has something actually to shout-out, so we're gonna hit a couple of these here.
First I'm gonna hit Jake. I don't know if Jake has anything to try and push us on or not.
You're a little blurry Jake, I don't know why that suddenly happened.
It must have known I was gonna switch to you.
But anyhow, so you don't have a blog or anything like that you wanna push on people do you?
>>Jake: No not yet. I may have something next time.
>>Mike: Good. Work on that.
Maybe if you could come up with like a website of a place where you could buy these fake tablets.
And we could get Dan to go there and make fake orders.
>>Dan: You're fired Mike. I just want to note you're fired.
>>Mike: How about Dan? Have you worked on any websites lately.
>>Dan: Oh no. No I haven't.
I've thought about it a lot.
>>Mike: Well that counts. That is almost as real as this tablet.
>>Dan: Ohww @$#*%!
[laughing]
>>Dan: That's it. I'm not going to be here February 2nd!
>>Mike: That's alright. It's February 12.
>>Dan: there we go.
[laughing]
>>Mike: Alright, well.
Brian since no one else has anything to push, have you gone on any new projects going on that you'd like to mention.
>>Brian: I do actually. Just launced a YouTube channel called ShowerSandwich.
>>Mike: Do I wanna know what that means?
>>Brian: Visualize it.
>>Mike: I didn't know if that was one of those things like the bar joke that I wasn't familiar with
since I'm so young and innocent.
>>Brian: No.
>>Mike: I assumed that ShowerSandwich meant something dirty.
>>Brian: It's only one of the asexual mentions I will ever make in most of my comedy.
But I'm just thinking it's a great visual.
>>Mike: Is that where you usually eat your sandwiches?
>>Brian: Ahm. No comment.
But yes you can find my comedy musings, which some honest feedback has said "yeah it's pretty good."
Other feedback has said yeah this one I've said was stupid.
But I'm learning as it go. And will figure it out so... YouTube.com/ShowerSandwich
BrianMHansen.com which will just link you right back to YouTube/ShowerSandwhich
>>Mike: And we should mention...I'm sorry go ahead.
>>Brian: Twitter @BrianMHansen
>>Mike: I was just gonna mention that the videos for those listening may not exactly be worksafe.
>>Brian: Yup. Not Safe For Work NSFW.
>>Mike: Right.
>>Brian: Yup, definitely not.
>>Mike: Alright. Right on. Check it out guys.
Thank you very much everybody again. And we will see you in a month!
[theme music playing]